In remarks that could spell controversy for Congress, AICC secretary Sanjay Nirupam today said that "even Narendra Modi would have badly lost in the Lok Sabha elections had he contested on a Congress ticket".

Nirupam, who lost from the Mumbai North constituency, told reporters that despite several decisions taken by it for the welfare of the people, a severe anti-incumbency wave had worked against the Congress-led UPA coalition.

"We were in the government for 10 years and, due to many factors, there was public anger against Congress.

"There was such strong a sentiment against Congress that even Narendra Modi would have lost badly had he contested on a Congress ticket," said Nirupam.

Nirupam, however, insisted that the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections may not play out again in states like Maharashtra, where Assembly elections are due by the year-end.

The BJP won 282 seats in the just-concluded general elections while Congress has managed to send only 44 members to the 16th Lok Sabha.

"This election was different. Certain decisions were taken during the 10 years (of UPA rule) due to which there was anger among the people. There were also issues of price rise and corruption and BJP blew it out of proportion. But every election is a learning (process).

"(But) this is not a permanent trend, I do not think results of Assembly elections will be similar to that of the Lok Sabha polls," averred Nirupam.

Give credit where credit is due. He has spoken the truth about Congress and its miserable plight today. But he has also pointed fingers at why it is in such a plight by blaming the Congress mistakes of the past ten years for this public anger and the steep fall. Were they all so blind and deaf during the 'ten years' that even Sonia said they failed to judge the public anger, something that, at least for the last three years, everyone and the media was shouting from the rooftops and which only the dynasty's sycophants and loyalists failed to see and hear ???

Even Modi would have lost on a Congress ticket BUT Sonia jee and Rahul jee have won in spite of contesting on Congress tickets and in spite of having very poor track records.. This proves that Sonia jee and Rahul jee are greater/better than Modi.It is obviously not a big deal to win an election on a BJP ticket and a good track record.

Looks like the party is lethally infected with acute sycophantitis which make the prognosis for the reinvention of Congress extremely bleak.